Schaduf Sows Sustainable Development with Rooftop Farming in Egypt

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In Cairo, two brothers are taking inspiration
from an ancient irrigation tool to bring food security and
self-sufficiency to low-income communities.

Last year, Sherif and Tarek Hosny launched Schaduf, a rooftop farming enterprise
designed to empower and sustain Cairo’s low-income communities. The
Arabic word “schaduf” refers to an ancient irrigation tool, still
used by farmers in many countries today, which lifts water to
irrigation canals for harvesting crops. In this case, the Hosny
brothers’ Schaduf works to lift soil-less hydroponic farming to the
rooftops of urban Cairo.

Schaduf works with low-income Egyptians living in the Maadi
district of Cairo and is developing a reputation for generating
social good through simple innovation, both elements that earned it
a spot among 14 finalists in the
MIT Arab Business Plan Competition this year.

From Cairo to Louisiana and Back

Originally from Egypt, Sherif and Tarek Hosny volunteered in New
Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, in 2010, where they witnessed the
unique practice of soil-less hydroponic farming. The technique uses
a mineral nutrient solution in water to grow plants in containers
without soil. “It was eye-opening that you could grow crops and
fish in the same environment … Once we saw that, we couldn’t just
ignore what we saw,” explains Tarek.

Both holding engineering degrees, Tarek and Sherif together
developed Schaduf to empower Egyptians to use otherwise unused
space to improve their livelihoods. Though not farmers by training,
their combined business and engineering backgrounds enable them to
develop Schaduf’s vision and business model, says Sherif.

Schaduf uses proven practices to streamline and simplify rooftop
farming, to create the maximum impact in these communities. When
modifying the technology for Egypt, Sherif notes that the biggest
hurdle was changing the community’s mindset. “The idea that you can
grow plants on rooftops is something that is culturally strange, so
that was a bit of challenge. But after we had examples, the whole
thing became easier.”

Success in Simplicity

Schaduf has a simple business model. They begin by selling
rooftop installations to low-income families through repayable
loans while contracting construction of the mini rooftop farms to a
manufacturer who completes the installation in as little as one
day. A small portion of monthly crop sales goes toward repaying the
loan, which farmers are typically able to repay within one
year.

To make certain that crops meet existing demands, Schaduf
carefully monitors the local markets each season and recommends
crops to grow to generate the healthiest harvest with maximum
return.

Families keep roughly 10 percent of the crops grown for personal
consumption; Schaduf purchases the remaining crops, reselling them
to local markets at a profit for the farmers.

In general, grants are not enough to promote economic growth,
according to Tarek. “You need to make people want the product,” he
says. By incentivizing farming through loans, Tarek explains that
Schaduf will be able to increase the effectiveness of rooftop
farming beyond grant-based efforts by governments and
NGOs.

When farmers have a stake in the success of their farms, they
are driven to provide a return for themselves, for their families,
and for Schaduf, which provides customers with a sense of
independence, dignity, and personal achievement, in stark contrast
to traditional aid programs that often leave consumers feeling
dependent and unmotivated, he says.

Schaduf also experimented with other rooftop farming techniques
and found that simple procedures yield the best results. Focusing
on simplicity has also allowed the enterprise to overcome some of
the trust issues that occur between new ventures and low-income
customers.

A Matter of Trust

When first launching any new venture, it is critical to build
trust in your target community and to identify those most willing
to take a risk to join the endeavor. The Hosny brothers, themselves
originally from Maadi, initially faced a few challenges. Many
in Cairo’s low-income communities were initially resistant to
taking out loans due to ongoing financial insecurity.

However, those who survive on a day-to-day basis are more keen
to recognize the benefit of a rooftop farm and are more ready to
take the risk of starting one, says Tarek, compared to those with a
university degree who often seek safer or more traditional paths
for income.

For those who do come on board, the enterprise offers more than
just heads of lettuce; it offers a chance for a sustainable income,
motivated communities, and a brighter, greener future for urban
Cairo.

With simple innovation, Schaduf brings a fresh twist to an
ancient practice that may help resuscitate the Egyptian economy
once again.